This "Reader "gathers together a prestigious collection of revisionist thinking on a key question of research in medieval studies: how did the Middle Ages begin? It includes a wealth of material on the origins and experiences of the Barbarian peoples themselves, and the much-debated question of what exactly characterized Barbarian 'tribes'. With an accessible and informative preface, and clear introduction to each section, "From Roman Provinces to Barbarian Kingdoms "makes complex debates accessible to students, and exposes them to key thinkers in the field.